Financial and Other Resources for Small Businesses

Wednesday, February 11th,
from 4-6pm. A panel on: Financial and Other Resources for Small Businesses.

Who couldn't use more money to make their small business successful?

Sam Kandel, who represents the Small Business Development Center, will discuss Funding Sources for Small Businesses and how to write the Business Plan that is necessary to secure funding.

After Sam's presentation, the floor will be open to questions from attendees. In addition to Sam's expertise, we will also have the legal knowledge of Dan Schneider, who is also a founding member of HVTC and Gerald Gonzalez, from Travers-Okeefe & Associates and a new member of HVTC, who brokers health and other types of insurance to small businesses throughout the area.

The moderator will be Pamela Hastings, also a founding member of HVTC who runs her own web-based business. Bring your questions, and be prepared to gain lots of valuable information.

The SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the State of New York and host entities including, as of February of 2003, the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC). The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is administered by the State University of New York and is New York’s premier small business assistance organization. The SBDC is recognized nationally for its service accomplishments. Founded in 1984, the SBDC—through a statewide network of 23 regional offices—has worked with over 187,000 New Yorkers, helping them acquire and invest over $2 billion in private and public funding, and helped create and save over 89,000 jobs in New York State.

SBDC Business Adviser Sam Kandel, who has advanced educational credentials and extensive practical experience in entrepreneurship and small business management, spearheads the outreach efforts from Margaretville. He also serves as the primary Advisor for the WatershedRegion and is supported by the Mid-Hudson SBDC team of 7 Professional Advisors and the State SBDC Research Library staff. Mr. Kandel is also actively involved with the Catskill Business Roundtable sponsored by the CWC and serves as Chairman of the One-Stop Shop Committee. He is also a member of the local organizing committee of the recently concluded Countryside Exchange and will continue to play an active part in the implementation of the resulting recommendations.

What Services are offered by the SBDC? Preparation of business plans Answers to questions regarding marketing, production, engineering, finance technical issues and many others Information regarding environmental, health and zoning regulations. Issues related to licensing and tax reporting. Assistance in locating sources and securing funding for businesses.

The Research Network The SBDC Research Network in Albany is an information clearinghouse that includes books, periodicals, videos, reports, software and industry specific information. Manned by full-time Masters level business librarians, this valuable resource can be accessed by SBDC and CWC staff by request. Specific topics related to marketing, demographics, export opportunities, government regulations, industry trends, business valuation and many others can be addressed as required.

Dan Schneider has been practicing entertainment, corporate, intellectual property(copyrights and trademarks) and real property law for more than 21 years. A graduate of Vassar College (AB, 1979, Evans Fellow in Law) and Emory Law School (JD, 1982, Emory Scholar), he is admitted to the New York and Georgia bars, as well as to the U.S. District Court ( Southern District, N.Y.). Mr.Schneider has been AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell. Mr. Schneider's corporate, new media, and entertainment practice includes the negotiation and drafting of commercial agreements, including partnership, operating, shareholder, employment, executive compensation, and buy-sell agreements for closely-held companies, licensing and leasing agreements, distribution agreements, artist recording, music publishing, co-publishing and merchandising agreements, endorsement and marketing agreements, electronic publishing, software and website development agreements, book publishing, packaging, joint venture, licensing, collaboration, agency, brokerage and management agreements, production and co-production agreements, credit facility agreements, and secured and unsecured debt financing agreements.

Gerald Gonzalez is a broker of all types of insurance, representingTravers-O'Keefe & Associates, an Employee Benefits and Property/Casualty and Brokerage Firm that has built its reputation on the personalized service it offers its clients. Gerry says that the company may be able to offer some group benefits to HVTC members and that he has the speaking skills to make even insurance entertaining.